Henry skidmore



BENE T SKlDMORE, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 81,021, dated August 11, 1363.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR GUTTNG FAPER.

y dige ,tlgettlt referat it iu time tettas @dan mit mating tart af tigtsame.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

' Beit known that I, HENRY Snrniuonn, of Mount Vernon, in the county ofWestchester, and State of New York, have invented anew and usefulimprovement on Machines for Cutting Paper, Gloth,4Foil, and other like;or suitable material, in sheets or strips, of which the following is afull,`clear, and iexact description, reference being had to theAaccompanying drawing, .forming part of this specification, and ih which-Figure 1 represents a front view of a machine constructed according tomy invention, and '.Figure 2 a central verticalsection of the sanne. o A

Figui-cl3 is atransverse section through aportion of the cutting-device,showing ,the application of a drag thereto. Similar letters of'referenccindicate corresponding parts., My invention relates to a machine orcombination of mechanism for cutting papexg'cloth, foil, or other likemateriel, into sheets of a given length and shape, in rapid succession,from a' strip of such material fed in a continuous manner,- andsubjected to the action of a constantly-rcvolvingV cutter acting inconcert with a stationary one; and my invention includes a variablerelative velocity of the fecdand cutter to change the length of sheetcu-t, without of necessity altering the character or shape of the cut,and comprises a combination of an obl-ique or helically-shaped revolvingcutter with a stationary knife, both carried by a swinging or otherwiseequivalently-hung frame, adjustable in an angular direction across thematerial being fed; likewise includes a combination of a constant feedto the strip ras established by drawing-rollers andcontinuouslyrevolving cutter acting in concert with a stationary knife;also, a peculiarly-bevelled knife, relatively to the feed, and foraction in connection with a revolving cutter, to secure a free run tothe material fed over it Iand in such connection, a peculiar bevel tothe rotary cutter, and. yielding action to a stationary knife; likewise,in combination with cutters arranged intermediate o f them,drawing-rollers to the material to effect its hold andfced, and the oneof which is made to travel faster than the other, to secure delivery ofa cut-sheet before again seizing thc strip. v

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents a roll or drum, onwhich the paper, cloth, foil, or other material, shown in red lines, iswound, said roll working in suitable bearings iu the side frames B ofthe machine. From this roll the outer end portion of the material, as itis unreeled, is passed over a drawingroller, C, and between it and4pressure-rollers'l), the latter having, say, a free or independentmotion, underv the control, as regards their pressing-force, of springsand screws, or otherwise, while the drawing-roller C has a. positivemotion communicated lto vit by any suitable gearing, as, for instance,through a pulley, c, driven byV a. band, Zz, from a nulley, a, on a mainor driving-shaft, E, Y

The material, after thus being entered or passed, on the rotation of theshaft E, through between the drawing-roller C and pressure-'rollers D,is passed to or through the cutting-apparatus, and fromthencc to a lowerroller, F,.by which it is seized between it and pressure-rollers Gr',said lower roller F being operated by pulleys d e', and bund e, or othervsuitable gear.

'lbe length of the sheet to bc cut is determined by the velocityortravel given to the drawing-rollers, or upper one, C, thereof,relatively to the speed of the main drivingshaft E, from which theVcutter is driven, as f hereinafter described, so that by altering therelative diameters of the pulleys a and c, the size or length of the eutsheet may be varied as required.

The cutting-apparatus is here represented as embracing a cross-frame, G,hung loosely 'or freely, at one end, on a way-shaft, H, as a centre ofmotion, and adjustable up or down at itsopposite end, where, when thecutters which it serves to carry, are set to the required angle acrossthe pather course of the material between the drawing-rollers, it may besecured by a screw,f, or otherwise.

The way-shaft H may be driven from the main shaftE by or throughmitre-wheels q h, and 'communicate motion to thc revolving cutter I byor through mitre-wheels While both cutters are carriedby thoadjustableiframe G, the one, J, of them may bc denominated stationary.This knife orcuttcr is'so fitted to the frame G, in rear of thedescending material to be out, as that it is capable of being adjustedfromdbehind, at or near bevelled from its top downwardly in a forwarddirection,

its two ends, forwards or backwards, relatively to the revolving cutterI. Such adjustment may be e`ected by screws 7:, screwing, say, into therear of the knife, and working through free holesy in the rear portionof the swinging frame G, and batting or resting by collars against theback of the same, so that such adjustingscrews will also act as guidesin a freeback lmovement of said knife, with which it is advisable toprovide it, or action in a reverse direction to that of a spring, K,which serves to keep the knife J pressed forward, and to return it toits forward position after it has been slightly moved back, by theaction on or against it by therevolving knife I, and by which meansthecutting-edges of the two knives are always kept in proper workingrelationship to each other, and a soft or easy cut is given to thematerial. The'front edge of the knife J is so as to oder little or noresistance to the material in its descent over or past it.

Carried also by the adjustable frame G, on the 'opposite side orface ofthe descending material, is the revolving cutterl, secured to shaft,*l,on which the mitre-wheel z' is hung. The centre lino of this shaft, Z,is parallel with the edgeotthc stationary knife J, but the cutter I,carried by and revolving in concert with said shaft, is set obliquelythereto, and arranged in a helical line around the same within a circle,the circumference of which is somewhat greater than the largest sheetto' be cut, so that it may travel faster than the material to be cut,and the frontor cutting-edge of which revolving cutter, the direction intravel of which is indicated by the arrow x, is tapered or bevelledinwardly from rear to front, that this' forms a favorable cutting andclearing contact with the stationary knife and material passing inbetween them also forms a self-sharpening action, and a more gradual oreasy blo'w or striking-action of the revolving cutter on the stationaryknife, as the' former, each revolution, passes the latter, the moreadvanced end or portion of the helicallyarranged revolving' cutter firststriking or.touching on'passing the stationary knife at the endcorresponding to or opposite such portion, and afterwards the remainderof the revolving knife, gradually or successively, and similarlythroughout its length, touching and passing the remaining portion of thestationary knife throughout its length towards its end nearest themitre-wheelszandj; a proper adjustment of the stationary knife on theframe Gbeing rst made, to insure such contact with the revolving cutterthrough its length.

To first set or establish thc cut at the proper place in the strip, themitre-wheel j maybe disconnected, in any suitable way, fromdriving-gear, with its shaft,'and the revolving cutter turned by hand tothe proper position for starting the crut, after which the connection ofthe mitre-wheel j with the way-shaft H may be re-established to secure acontinuity of like cuts in succession. y

From this description it will be apparent that a regular` succession orseries of cuts is or may be made of the strip or material, into sheetsof equal length, while running, the length being varied at pleasure byaltering the speed of the drawing-roller C, relatively to thedriving-shaft E, from which the revolving cutter derives its motion.

' In'asmuch, however, as the revolving knife commences to cut at oneside or edge of the-strip ormaterial as the latter is in constantmotion, and only gradually cuts across the sheet, it will be necessaryto adjust the Obliquity of the cutters, or frame G which carries`them,to the velocity of the material or length fed during, the passageof the moving cutter past the stationary one, in order that a straightor any particular ahgle of eut across the material may be madc,.for, asthe helical revolving cutter, according to its pitch, will occupy agiven time before it finally passes the 'stationary cutter throughoutits length, commencing at one end of it and nishing at the other, then,if the speed or amount of material 4being fed or passed, be increased,it will be obvious that to secure a straight cut across the'strip, thatis, one 'at right angles toits edges, a greater Obliquity in an upwarddirection of the frame Gr, or increased elevation of itsadjustable end,will be required than where a slower speed is given to the material, orlessamount of it, for cutting shorter sheets, is fed in a given time.

This will be apparent when it is considered that the stripor material isin constant motion, and of course occupies a varied length of time topass the cutters, according to its velocity of travel, while therevolving cutter, by its sweep or pitch, bears a xed relationship to thestationary cutter.

Thus, by simply altering or adjusting the Obliquity of the cutters orframe Gr, up or down, at its loose end, either a straight or any desiredangle of cut may be established across the materials for varied speedsof it, or different lengths of sheets required to be cut. Nor is thematerial, by such a combination and angular adjustment of the cutters,at all impeded in its progress. Furthermore, while the cutting-edgeofthe stationary knife J is or should be straight, or nearly so, to givea straight-edged catto the material, the Obliquity or helical run of therevolving cutter may be varied, so as to take any amount of time insideof a'whole revolution before passing the stationary cutter throughoutits entire length, whereby an easyand shear-cut may be establishedb Auniversal joint, or any other suitable motion; may be substituted forthat shown for operating the revolving cutter, and providing for it andthe stationary cutters angular adjustment or that ofthe frame G, asdescribed. Also the revolving cutter may Ihave a variable speed given itif required- I To secure a clean or steady and regular cut, the shaft Z,of the revolving cutter "I, carries an elastic clamping or otherpressure-friction` block or drag, M, that has a tendency to rotate withthe shaft, andl is only restrained from doing so by striking or restingagainst the frame, or other suitable stop, and that, byits friction onthe shaft, serves to hold the revolving knife constantly back, as itwere, thereby preventing backlash or play, which gives ajumping orirregular actionto the, cutter.

Furthermore, to prevent dulling, and give a free slip to the cutters,the one over and against the other, and to facilitate the cut, I causethe revolvng'knife or cutter, at its cutting-edge, in the course of itsrotation, to come in contact with, so as to rotate and preferably liftor raise`it, a lubricating-roller, N, hung free orloose in bearings r,that in the present instance should be connected with the adjustableframe G, that carries the cutters, so as to occupy a fixed relationshipto the revolving one, whatever its adjustment. This lubricating-rollermay be formedof or covered with any suitable soft and absorbentmaterial, that will serve to hold oil rubbed on or over it, and thatwill exude or give out the lsame to slightly lubricate the revolvingknife on its cutting-edge as it strikes it. Being free, or loose. andrevolving,`said lubricating-device offers no perceptible impediment tothe free rotation of the cutter.

What is here claimed, and desired to be securedA by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an oblique or helically-shaped revolving cutterwith a stationary knife, when both are so suspendeder carried in anadjustable frame as that their angular position, relatively to the pathtravelled by thematerial between them, may be variedfsubstantialfly asand for the purpose or ypurposes specified.

2. The combination, with a constant or continuous feed to the strip ormaterial in sheet form to be cut, as established 'by drawing-rollers, ortheir equivalents, of a continuously-revolving cutter, acting in concertwith a stationary knife, essentially as herein set forth..

A3. The knife J, bevelled, as shown and described, on its' cutting-odge,relatively to the passage of the material over or against it, foroperation, in combination with a travelling or rotary cutter,substantially as specified. t v

4. The knives or cutters I and J, when bevclled on their cutting-edgesrelatively to each other, and to the travel or passage ofthe material tobe out, essentially as lshown and described.

5. In combination with a rotary cutter, a stationary knife or cutter,adjustable towards or from it, and pressed forwards by a spring, or itsequivalent,'so-as to slightly project into the path travelled by theadvanced edge of the rotary cutter, and so that said stationarycutter'is pressed or u'rged'backwards by the rotary one in passing it,as specified. l

6. The arrangement of the cutters I J, 'intcrmodiately between thedrawing-rollers C and the deliveringrollers F, for operation,substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the feed-rollers C D, delivery-rollers F G, andcutters I J, whereby paper, cloth, foil, or other like material may befed in a continuous manner, and eutnp into sheets at right or otherrequired angles, to or across Vthe feed or edges of the strip, all beingarranged and operating essentially as specified.

H. SKIDMORE. Witnesses:

J. W. CooMBs, A. Ln CLERC.

